System And Method For Sharing Playlists

Abstract

A system for sharing playlists utilizes a network, such as the Internet. A player device other than a general purpose computer, such as a dedicated media player or a remote control for a dedicated media player, is configured to communicate a playlist to a wireless handheld remote control associated with and separate from the media player device, the playlist having been received from a remote source. At least one item identifier included in the playlist is received from the wireless handheld remote control. At least one item identified by the at least one item identifier is rendered.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 communicating a playlist from a first media player device to a wireless handheld remote control associated with and separate from the first media player device, the playlist having been received from a remote source;   receiving, from the wireless handheld remote control, at least one item identifier included in the playlist; and   rendering, by the first media player device, at least one item identified by the at least one item identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein communicating a playlist from a first media player device to a wireless handheld remote control comprises communicating the playlist from at least one of a set top box, a stereo receiver, a digital video recorder, an MP3 player, a game console, and a telephone. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving the playlist by the first media player device from a content server. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving the playlist by the first media player device from a second media player device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving the playlist by the first media player device via at least one of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and the Internet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein communicating a playlist from a first media player device to a wireless handheld remote control comprises communicating the playlist via a LAN. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein communicating a playlist from a first media player device to a wireless handheld remote control comprises communicating the playlist via a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rendering the at least one item further comprises at least one of downloading, from the remote source, the at least one item and streaming, from the remote source, the at least one item. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying, on the first media player device, the playlist. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the playlist further comprises a second item identifier that identifies a second item, and further comprising:
 receiving, by the first media player device, user input selecting the second item identifier; and   rendering, by the first media player device, the second item.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input from a user;   based on the input, searching for the playlist on the remote source; and   requesting the playlist from the remote source.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically updating the playlist at the first media player device in response to a change made to the playlist by a user of the wireless handheld remote control. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing, by the first media player device, each of a plurality of user profiles with a target user profile of a first user associated with the first media player device;   selecting, by the first media player device, a matching user profile from the plurality of user profiles;   selecting a playlist of a matching user associated with the matching user profile, wherein a plurality of playlists including the selected playlist is stored by at least one server, each of the plurality of playlists is a playlist of one of a plurality of users including the matching user, and each of the plurality of users is associated with one of the plurality of user profiles; and   requesting, by the first media player device, delivery of the selected playlist of the matching user from the remote source.   
     
     
         14 . A media player device comprising:
 a communication interface communicatively coupling the media player device to a remote source via a network; and   a control system associated with the communication interface and adapted to:
 communicate a playlist to a wireless handheld remote control associated with and separate from the media player device, the playlist having been received from a remote source; 
 receive, from the wireless handheld remote control, at least one item identifier included in the playlist; and 
 render at least one item identified by the at least one item identifier. 
   
     
     
         15 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the media player device comprises at least one of a set top box, a stereo receiver, a digital video recorder, an MP3 player, a game console, and a telephone. 
     
     
         16 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the control system is further adapted to display, on the media player device, the playlist. 
     
     
         17 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the remote source comprises at least one of a content server and a second media player device. 
     
     
         18 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the first media player device is communicatively coupled to the remote source via at least one of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and the Internet. 
     
     
         19 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the first media player device is communicatively coupled to the wireless handheld remote control via a LAN. 
     
     
         20 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the first media player device communicates with the wireless handheld remote control via a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). 
     
     
         21 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the first media player device is adapted to download the at least one item from the remote source. 
     
     
         22 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the first media player device is adapted to stream the at least one item from the remote source. 
     
     
         23 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the first media player device is adapted to display the playlist. 
     
     
         24 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the playlist further comprises a second item identifier that identifies a second item, and wherein the control system is further adapted to:
 receive user input selecting the second item identifier; and   render the second item.   
     
     
         25 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the control system is further adapted to:
 receive input from a user;   based on the input, search for the playlist on the remote source; and   request the playlist from the remote source.   
     
     
         26 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the control system is further adapted to automatically update the playlist at the media player device in response to a change made to the playlist by a user of the wireless handheld remote control. 
     
     
         27 . The media player device of  claim 14 , wherein the control system is further adapted to:
 compare each of a plurality of user profiles with a target user profile of a first user associated with the media player device;   select a matching user profile from the plurality of user profiles;   select a playlist of a matching user associated with the matching user profile, wherein a plurality of playlists including the selected playlist are stored by at least one server, each of the plurality of playlists is a playlist of one of a plurality of users including the matching user, and each of the plurality of users is associated with one of the plurality of user profiles; and   request delivery of the selected playlist of the matching user from the remote source.   
     
     
         28 . A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and including instructions configured to cause a processor to carry out the steps of:
 communicating a playlist from a first media player device to a wireless handheld remote control associated with and separate from the first media player device, the playlist having been received from a remote source;   receiving, from the wireless handheld remote control, at least one item identifier included in the playlist; and   rendering, by the first media player device, at least one item identified by the at least one item identifier.